Method of interacting with a computer using a proximity sensor in a computer input device

Abstract

In a method of the present invention, a device message is generated indicating that a touch sensor on an input device has been touched without indicating what location on the touch sensor has been touched. The device message is routed to an application and instructions within the application are executed based on the device message.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method in a computer system, the method comprising: 
       for each of a plurality of touch sensors on a mouse device coupled to the computer system, receiving an indication of whether a user is touching a touch sensor;  
       setting a display characteristic associated with moving a cursor across a display to a first setting if the user is touching a first combination of touch sensors while moving the mouse device and to a second setting if the user is touching a second combination of touch sensors while moving the mouse device; and  
       generating a display that moves the cursor while the user moves the mouse device based on the setting of the display characteristic.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein setting the display characteristics comprises setting the distance a cursor moves across a display based on which combination of touch sensors the user is touching. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein setting the distance comprises setting the distance at a first distance for a movement of the input device if the user is touching the first combination of touch sensors and at a second distance, further than the first distance, for the first movement of the input device if the user is touching the second combination of touch sensors. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein setting the display characteristics comprises setting the size of an ink trail produced on a display. 
     
     
       5. In a computer system having a mouse device wherein said mouse device comprises a plurality of touch sensors, a method comprising: 
       setting a display characteristic to a first setting if a user is touching a first predetermined combination of non-contiguous touch sensors on the mouse device while moving the mouse device and to a second setting if a user is touching a second predetermined combination of non-contiguous touch sensors on the mouse device while moving the mouse device, said display characteristic being associated with moving a cursor across a display; and  
       generating a display that moves the cursor while the user moves the mouse device based on the setting of the display characteristic.  
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein setting the display characteristic comprises setting the distance a cursor moves across a display based on which combination of touch sensors on the mouse device the user is touching. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein setting the distance comprises setting the distance at a first distance for a first movement of the input device if the user is touching the first predetermined combination of touch sensors and at a second distance, further than the first distance, for the first movement of the input device if the user is touching the second predetermined combination of touch sensors. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 5  wherein setting the display characteristic comprises setting the size of an ink trail produced on a display. 
     
     
       9. A method in a computer system, the method comprising: 
       for each of a plurality of touch sensors on a pointing device coupled to the computer system, receiving an indication of whether a user is touching at least one of the touch sensors on said pointing device;  
       setting a display characteristic associated with moving a cursor across a display to a first setting if the user is touching a first combination of touch sensors while moving the pointing device and to a second setting if the user is touching a second combination of touch sensors while moving the pointing device, wherein said first combination of touch sensors and said second combination of touch sensors are on said pointing device; and  
       generating a display that moves the cursor while the user moves the pointing device based on the setting of the display characteristic.  
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein setting the display characteristic comprises setting the distance a cursor moves across a display based on which combination of touch sensors on the mouse device the user is touching. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  setting the distance comprises setting the distance at a first distance for a first movement of the input device if the user is touching the first predetermined combination of touch sensors and at a second distance, further than the first distance, for the first movement of the input device if the user is touching the second predetermined combination of touch sensors. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9  wherein setting the display characteristic comprises setting the size of an ink trail produced on a display.